By KYIV. Nov 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language Taras Kremin demands to dismantle signs and outdoor advertising in a non-state language in Odesa.
"Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language Taras Kremin has repeatedly appealed to Odesa mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov about the need to dismantle signs, plates, other media for general acquaintance, as well as outdoor advertising placed in a non-state language," the press service of the language Ombudsman said.
Also, in the letter of the commissioner to Odesa mayor, it is said that it is necessary to introduce into the rules of improvement of the city of Odesa and other acts regulating the placement of signs, plates and other information for general acquaintance on the territory of the city, norms that information on such signs, plates and other media must necessarily be presented in the state language with the possibility of duplication in other languages, if necessary.
"Back in February 2022, a corresponding letter was sent about the need to take measures to prevent violations of the requirements of the law on the territory of the city of Odesa regarding the placement of information for general acquaintance, as well as outdoor advertising only in a non-state language. However, as of today, there is no response, no retaliatory actions," the press service quoted Kremin.
According to the report, monitoring conducted by Odesa activists confirms that out of 150 shops they checked, every second violates the language legislation.
"The situation regarding compliance with the language legislation in Odesa is extremely outrageous and unfavorable also in light of the fact that the Russian government uses the Russian language as one of the tools of geopolitical expansion. The language issue is one of the main issues in the conduct of the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine," Kremin emphasizes.
